The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-12


sented on the floor OF this convention, name
", Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, also
from the States of Tennessee and Missouri
and for other States which may desire TO en-.
the object in view, said committee to pro,
coed to Washington on or about Jan: next
for the purpose Of aiding and e1pedlhng ine
passage of any measures which may be pc.
fore Congress. looking to the improvement
of the Mississippi river Navigation. protec,
ton of its alluyial lands, or the development
of It's material interests; and it shall be the
duty of said executive committee to raise ana
provide funds to defray the expenses OF the
delegates to and from Washington ana wn1ie
there.
journs it shall be to meet in Washington, u. |
O., Jan, Is next, and that the, chairman pc |
instructed to correspond with the Governors
them to ask the Governors OF other States
interested in Mississippi river improvement
to appoint twenty delegates each to. attend
the meeting OF the conyention there, In order
to take part IN the deh3eratlons, ana 70 sia
in inducing adequate legislation for sad
river improvement: provided the committee
appointed by the convention may change the
date Of meeting at Washington at their dis
cretion."
The committees provided for in the resolu-
tons were duly appointed and entered upon
the performance of their duties with the best
results. The Washington convention power
fully assisted them In their work, and ere
ated SO strong sentiment i'll favor OF the
objects of both convention and committees
that the necessary appropriations we're fortn-
coming and the River Commission saw Its
say clear to assist in combining the river with
i'll its banks.
Thus, to
GOV. MKNERY's INITIATIVE
is Louisiana largely indebted, not only for
the interest manifested in levee matters in
the State itself, but for Federal assistance IN
| the work of maintaining and rebuilding
| them.
| OF the work itself Gov. McEnery reported
as follows to the Legislature tMessage, May
4, 1884:
Since he report made to the General As
| sembly in April, 1882. 1910 contracts for
| the construction of levees have been made,
and nearly all of them have been faithfully
tracts and the unfinished work under prior
contracts not completed in April, 1882,
amounts to nearly 100 miles Of levee, re-
quiring3, 500, 636 cubic yards OF earthWoI X
same period expended for preventing or
closing crevassts s35, 500, making an sggre.
gaze cost of levee work for the period OF
1923, 40.
mission. in August, 1882, allotted S7o, 900
10 close gaps in levees between the mouths OF
Rec, river and Cypress creek. and $40, O0o
to close gaps in Pointe Coupee, al! for levees
in Louisiana except S65, 2s3, which was ,, sx
sum Of 81 5, 900 WIS likewise allotted toward
building the Bonnet Carrie levee. and othe,
allottments were made for the protection OF
leyees during the late flood:
Tine levec.work in Louisiana by the United
States Commission nearly equals that don't
by the State. being mainly above the mouti
of Red river, and it has cost the United
States government 1899, 3S1.
THE marian parishes expended on leyeeS
since l 1881 large sums reports from ten par
: isles alone showing s211,, 1856 OF local ant
.. individual funds expended; Three railroa,
companies alone expended 500, $50. Thu
! the total amount expended on levees in Lou
iRlana has been S2.04S, 900 since $751;"
z Notwithstanding the fact that in 1SS:
to another, overflow, owing to the fact tina
many of the levees that went down befor
: the Hood OF the preceding year had not bee
? rebuilt, or were not su!iiciently hardened t
: Withstand the rise of 1883, Gov. McLner
i was fully justified by the facts in adding
: Sin the beginning of March, 1884. tn
!, levees of Louisiana were in better conditlo
u than they have been at any previous time fo
'- more than twenty years." With such energ
e had
i THE WORK OF REBUILDING THE LEyEEs
and repairing the waste created by the water
+ been prosecuted in the meantime, and s
Is theoretically and systematically has the wor
e OF leyee strengthening and building bee
n continued that the floods since 1888 hay
2 been successfully resisted Tare local or
D. vases excepted), and tbs. people OF the, rip
N rian parishes have been able to SOW and rea
RI behind the bikes erected 70. their prote
2 ton, in full confidence that they would wit
stand the pressure of the waters. Lane
abandoned for quarter OF 9 century ma
again been brought into cultivation, valu
iss in the riparian parishes have increased, q,
of prosperity is again within reach OF the dive
8. ers by the banks OF the rivers. ,
~ So theoretically, in fact. was the work
IL -ebuiiding and iepairilig continued that Go
ne McEnery was enabled to report in his la
III message to the General Assembly, May l
er 1855, as follows:
9, THE leyee work undertaken and finish
I'd since your last session and the, report Of I
IN Stats engineer amounts to fifty -seven mil
ae OF new levees and The raising and enlare
OF ment Of sixteen miles of old leyees. I
N amount OF eaithwork constructed amour
a 10 ADDS, SIS cubic yards at q cost OF s50A
u 400 50.
of 1884, Under section Is of Ac. No. 50
he 1850, by Executive orders to complete ps
- :. ment for the Bonnet Care and the Opossi
n Fork levces, and under Act No. ,33 OF 49,
at for the repair Of Mill Bayou cqlyert and
tie resolutions of Tensas Basin District ha
M amounted to $50, .0s9 81.
N During the last two years there ha
to been put mp 3, 2o3. 629 cubic Yards OF eal-
Sc work, costing s1l7,.493 "a. This estim'
at lnciGdes tne competing OF "oIh5 P,ehicu
made. but net finished at the date OF the L
report of the Board of State Engineers.
Special taxes have been voted By some
is the. Mississippi. river, parishes for the rep
IN and preservation OF levees, and above
of mouth of Red river large and import;
.mi al ~ nrivsta s,,hscrInf;ons and
~ nn;,s.oad' hoy. psn ,es;steT Rv thsse nffc
Iaiiiuaus nav sisu a', .nS ro;lo.a norro
p?l ~ ~ n,ias nf levsns wS;rh We're bel
Ills t toIs axa, nf e,tren,a annda lac h,
nj s liz, lr,l>onsd snd raisaS from one 70 tn
M, no Feat aboTe the highest water mark. In
ga work the Board of Engineers have made s
or veys. specifications. and calculations as
quantity and cost OF Hofk ana other detail
1A1 " 'Se' W
se veg a. lorsas Gov MoEpsrv ves able
- 49, ~ +bn s,,h;act RI Iayeas for the Il
sts DISPOSE Vi tiie saoje0'o VI io'o'' IVA 'Ne u
no peiEg' :is ioliomst